Sons of F1 greats set for Macau GP

The sons of two former Formula One world champions, Nelson Piquet Junior and Nico Rosberg, will do battle on the tight streets of the Guia circuit at the 50th Macau Grand Prix on November 16.

Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet of Brazil (1981, 1983 and 1987) never raced in Macau but his peer at the time, Finland's Keke Rosberg (1982 world champion) took part in 1978. Rosberg will be back for a ride down memory lane when he accompanies his son for the FIA Intercontinental Cup of Formula 3.

'Both drivers [Nelson Piquet Junior and Nico Rosberg] have impressed in Britain and Europe and will race together for the first time in Macau,' said Joao Manuel Antunes, co-ordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Committee.

This next generation of stars will continue the tradition of up-and-coming drivers who cut their teeth in Formula 3 on the 6.2 kilometre Macau circuit and then went on to conquer the world in Formula One.

Piquet Junior will be driving a Dallara F302-3 Renault-Sodemo for Hitech Racing, and Nico a Dallara F302-3 Honda-Mugen for Carlin Motorsport.

After clinching the South American F3 title last year, Piquet Junior, 18, has taken the British series by storm this year, winning six races. His pedigree and obvious talent has already seen him earmarked for great things with BMW Williams offering him a test drive in December.

This year's Macau encounter will see F3 champions from Japan and Europe up against newly crowned F3 Euroseries champion, Australian Ryan Briscoe, and countryman and Japanese series winner James Courtney.